Se'l tuo partir mi spiacque (Jacques Arcadelt)

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  • (Posted 2010-06-15)  CPDL #21790:        (Sibelius 7)
Editor: Walker Boyle (submitted 2010-06-15).   Score information: Letter, 4 pages, 102 kB   Copyright: Public Domain
Edition notes: Updated to v. 2.0 in May 2014. Transcribed from the 1539 Gardane edition of Arcadelt's Il primo libro de' madrigali a 4 voci.

General Information

Title: Se'l tuo partir mi spiacque
Composer: Jacques Arcadelt

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: SecularMadrigal

Language: Italian
Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1539 in Il primo libro de' madrigali a 4 voci, no. 1.25
Description: 

External websites:

Original text and translations

Italian.png Italian text

Se'l tuo partir mi spiacque
Hor' il tornar m'è noia.
Dunque'ogni tuo piacer
vuol pur ch'io muoia.
Mancar di tua presenza,
Non ti veder ogni hora
Mi pars' un tempo'assai torment'e doglia
Poi che per la tua'assenza
Era di quel duol fora.
Torn'hor co'l tuo tornar l'antica voglia
E'n tal desio m'invoglia
Che ben non so quel che vivend'acquisti
S'hor partend' hor tornando mi contristi.

English.png English translation

Bereft although I felt to see you leaving,
Turmoil is my lot on your return.
Nothing, alas, could give you greater pleasure
Than to let me die without concern.
Your absence once appeared distress sufficient -
Not to have you oft before my eyes -
Since at least the pain caused by your presence
Ceased, and that must be my only prize.
Now with your return returns my longing,
Filling me with such unquenched desire
That what you gain exceeds my understanding
By setting me so hopelessly on fire:
Despond engulfs me utter and entire.
Translation by Mick Swithinbank
Translator's note: I wondered whether 'Era' in line 9 should read 'Ero', but the editor informs me that 'Era' is definitely in the source.